The Lusk Report: August 12th, 2022

Friday, August 12th, 2022

Dear friend,

I'm looking forward to attending tomorrow's Youth Public Safety Summit at the Gum Springs Community Center! Topics of discussion will include:

Healing in the Aftermath of Violence
Mental Health and Unmanaged Empathy
Fear and Anxiety
Drug and Substance Abuse
Youth and Public Safety

Thank you to our partners for coordinating such an important event!

Also, I'm excited for next Saturday's Sequoyah Community Day! Join us for family-friendly activities, food, and free backpacks.

Please contact my office if we can assist you.

Email: leedist@fairfaxcounty.gov (My team is working on an updated email)

Phone 703-971-6262

-Rodney

Table of Contents

Supervisor Lusk in the News
Ark of Northern Virginia Practice Police Interactions Event
Ordinance on Running Bamboo effective Jan 1, 2023
Recovery Program's Solution of Virginia Hygiene Drive
Beagles at the Fairfax Animal Shelter Are Almost Ready To Adopt!
Loose Pig in the Alden-ham Neighborhood in Kingstowne Captured!
Learn more About the First-ever Fairfax Countywide Strategic Plan
Franconia District Nights Rolls On
COVID-19 Resources

Supervisor Lusk in the News

County Leaders Seek More Sidewalks Linking to Huntley Meadows Park

By Matt Blitz of FFX.now

https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/08/05/county-leaders-seek-more-sidewalks-linking-to-huntley-meadows-park/

Lusk noted that the neighborhood and nearby school have one of the highest rates of students on free and reduced lunch in the county.

“Many residents [here] rely on public transportation or they are walking or biking as their primary form of transportation,” said Lusk.

Fairfax Leaders buy-in (literally and figuratively) to McLean Affordable Housing

By Brian Trompeter of InsideNova

https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/fairfax-leaders-buy-in-literally-and-figuratively-to-mclean-affordable-housing/article_5321b82c-19a3-11ed-9e7f-7399c5f4d8f4.html

Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors voted 9-1 on August 2nd to authorize $33.3 million to fund an affordable-housing project development of a 453-unit project in west McLean.

"Tysons is the county’s biggest business center and it is impossible' for people working in retail and other low-paid jobs to live there," said Supervisor Rodney Lusk (D-Lee).

“We have an obligation to provide housing options, and this is a great location,” Lusk said.

FY2022 carryover provides funding for Board priorities

By Heather Zwicker of Fairfax County Times

https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/fairfax_county/fy2022-carryover-provides-funding-for-board-priorities/article_b41090ca-19a5-11ed-bebf-631a636590af.html

County policy explicitly prohibits allocating carryover funds for reoccurring expenses such as salaries, according to Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk, who said that as chair of the Board’s Public Safety Committee he is “uniquely aware of the challenges facing our Police Department.” Lusk said he would be happy to review any amendment Herrity shares with the board.

“Personally, I am open to considering the possibility of allocating carryover funds for signing and retention bonuses,” said Lusk.

Ark of Northern Virginia Practice Police Traffic Stops

The Arc of Northern Virginia is partnering with the Fairfax County Police Department to offer another excellent opportunity for people with disabilities and their loved ones to practice police interactions. I am proud to have introduced the Board Matter that piloted this program in Fairfax County.

Years of data report that people with disabilities are more likely to encounter law enforcement than typically developing peers and more likely to struggle to navigate that interaction.

The Arc of Northern Virginia is here to help our residents get ready for any police interactions so they feel safer and prepared, as well as give officers a chance to learn directly from people with disabilities and their families. Interacting with police officers can feel intimidating, especially if you or your loved ones have a disability. One of the best ways to manage that anxiety and prepare yourself for a successful real-world interaction is to practice!

The event takes place next Tuesday, August 16th, in the Fairfax County Firearms Training Unit Parking lot, 3721 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly, VA 20151, from 5:30 pm - 7 pm.

For more information and to register:

https://thearcofnova.org/events/practice-police-interactions/?fbclid=IwAR2c-yAp7TbsVuZYfwaoIib8CeMgAqsh6UTJ_I1BSd8LBHb3afQb2k57oP8

Last year, the Practice Police Interactions event held in the Franconia District was a tremendous success, with over 50 residents participating at Franconia Fire Station 5.

New Ordinance on Running Bamboo Effective Jan 1, 2023

Starting January 1, 2023, running bamboo must be contained on an owner's property.

Running bamboo is an invasive grass with a complex, fast-growing horizontal root system called rhizomes that aggressively spread underground, almost 15 feet per year. Once planted, running bamboo can eventually take over yards and travel across property lines, creating issues for adjacent property owners and local jurisdictions.

The new ordinance requires property owners to contain their running bamboo and prevent it from spreading beyond their property line. Bamboo can be destructive to the natural environment and suppress native plant species. They can push through brickwork, drains, cavity walls, patios, and exploit cracks or weaknesses in concrete. Owners may incur penalties if they allow bamboo to spread beyond their property line.

More information: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/running-bamboo#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20new%20Running,to%20spread%20beyond%20their%20property.

Recovery Program Solutions of Virginia

The Recovery Program Solutions of Virginia’s South County Recovery and Drop-In Center (SCRDIC), located at 8794 S. Sacramento Drive in Alexandria has offered free programs and services for adults with mental health, substance use, and homelessness issues in the Mt. Vernon/Franconia communities since 2011. As a nonprofit, RPSV's programs are free. No referral or insurance is needed. Just drop by or join them online.

The homeless adults they serve are often not affiliated with area shelters and live under bridges, in the woods, or other precarious situations. SCRDIC is currently hosting a variety of drives to support those they serve. These needs are ongoing throughout the year.

A Basic Needs Drive to support homeless adults. SCRDIC provides access to showers and laundry services for those they serve and welcomes donations of laundry detergent and basic hygiene items (e.g., soap, shampoo/conditioner, lotion, talcum powder, toothbrushes/paste, and more) because cleanliness is dignifying for all.
Birthday Cakes. RPSV’s Birthday Brigade encourages donors to sign up to donate sheet cakes once a month (or more often if they desire) to help homeless adults celebrate their birthdays. This kind gesture is especially poignant for those we serve!
Breakfast Donors. SCRDIC’s participants often share how much they miss the wonderful smells of a home-cooked breakfast. The public is invited to sign up to purchase breakfast for up to 25 adults on the weekends. Due to COVID, they can only accept restaurant-prepared foods (e.g., McDonald's Breakfast Platters).

Hygiene items can be dropped off at SCRDIC on Mondays and Fridays from 3-7 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12-7 pm. Please contact Gary Workman at (703) 341-6890 to arrange a drop-off time.

For more information on the birthday cake and breakfast donation efforts, please email mtaylor@recoveryprograms.us. Your donations are tax-deductible.

Beagles Arrived At The Fairfax Animal Shelter And Are Almost Ready To Adopt!

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter welcomed 16 beagles into their shelter this past week, and are absolutely thrilled that they’re safe and being cared for. It was quite the journey, from transporting them back to the shelter, settling them in, and starting to get to know their sweet personalities.

They are not yet available to visit nor adopt, because they’re still settling in and staff are evaluating their individual needs. The animal shelter staff predict that they will be ready for adoption within the next couple of weeks, and encourage anyone who is interested in adopting a pet from the shelter to visit their webpage for information on adoption requirements, fees, and the process: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/animalshelter/adopt

Thank you, The Humane Society of the United States, for coordinating this effort! We hope to continue to be able to bring in more groups of these deserving and wonderful dogs, to help them start the next, happier chapter in their lives.

Loose Pig Exploring the Alden-ham Neighborhood in Kingstowne now Captured

The loose pig seen exploring the Alden-ham neighborhood in Kingstowne has been captured! (This is not Penny the Pig)

Thank you to the Fairfax County Animal Protection Officers and Nalls Produce for helping him find his home.

Learn more about the first-ever Fairfax Countywide Strategic Plan

Fairfax County employees work hard every day to provide the quality services that make Fairfax a great place to live, work and play.

The Countywide Strategic Plan serves as a road map to help guide our future work together, focusing on the 10 Community Outcome Areas that represent the issues of greatest importance to the community and setting a clear, unified, community-driven vision for the next 10-20 years.

More information: https://t.co/TmN7k5W18Z

Franconia District Nights

The Franconia District summer nights concert series continues! Above is the full list of performers with their respective dates. Next Wednesday, we welcome The Nighthawks!

I hope to see you there!

More information: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances/lee-district-nights